Actually not just the French league but the Heineken European...populated by the world's best...he is far better than when last in Australia as proven by the frantic bidding for his services...more than Dan. Carter..more than Morne Steyn..by some considerable marginWe've been through this. Giteau has had his day. So he is tearing up the French Comp. That's no proof of ability. We saw that in the June tests.
His form in Australia in his last few seasons was declining. I wouldn't have him in this team
Also, just for the record - Australia had 65% more senior male players than Ireland as of the last time those figures were assessed anywhere I can find (it was around the last RWC - hopefully IRB will release new figures this coming year).
While Ireland does have more players at all age groups and across both sexes this means very little when looking at the Men's National side.
The Women's Eagles got over the Wallaroos at the recent WRWC and would likely do it again if they were to play tomorrow. Shit, they've even won the whole thing in the past.
The Men's Eagles? I think we scored a try against South Africa in 2007, but that's pretty much been it so far.
The world's best - New Zealand, South Africa and Australia - are in Super Rugby.Actually not just the French league but the Heineken European.populated by the world's best.he is far better than when last in Australia as proven by the frantic bidding for his services.more than Dan. Carter..more than Morne Steyn..by some considerable margin
The world's best - New Zealand, South Africa and Australia - are in Super Rugby.
He probably has improved over in France, but for the most part, it is not hard to look good behind what is essentially an international standard pack.
Australia can't afford to squander players the way NZ,SA and England do by ignoring those playing offshore. Australia's playing base...1/5 th that of England or less than 1/3rd New Zealand's,cries out for a change in strategy. Do Ireland ignore Sexton for playing in France.Of course not.but they have More
Players than Australia.
The most valuable player in Europe by far is Matt Giteau.ignored by Mckenzie..
And a class above Cooper or Beale as Europeans know.
Crazy!!
Except that it's really only approximately six 'super European teams' starting with the Toulon galacticos. These teams simply Hoover up the world's rugby talent because of the money and exchange rate factors....after all how many French or Springbok or Brit star players ever appear in Super rugby....and please, don't tell me WF or the Reds wouldn't sign Mermoz or Vunipola or Bakkies Botha if they could compete with French money.Without even taking into account the Championship and the ProD2, 6 nations with talent spread across 38 teams with rosters of about 45-50, is a far more diluted system than 3 Nations with 15 squads of 30-35.
When you get close to mastering the reply / quote function, I might start to take a post of yours seriously.Of course! just like Dan Carter behind the AB pack! looks much better.
His time in Australia was behind a very inferior pack, so as they say in the
movies--follow the money --- and the money says he's better than Carter and Steyn and Wilkinson and Sexton who all got offered less by the moguls with the money to buy talent. And of course while Super Rugby is okay the Heineken has the pick of the world's players..AB's, Waobblies, Boks, Samoans etc etc etc.
de Luca was born in Dumfries, not sure you could count him there.
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Ah,the signs of weak argument; switch the subject to the trivial and inconsequential rather than lose.When you get close to mastering the reply / quote function, I might start to take a post of yours seriously.
Or, more likely, I still won't.